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5.7 Biological Resources

and Sensitive Environmental Resource Areas (SERAs) (L.A. County
Code, Title 22, Ch. 22.44, Part 6).

Threshold 7-7 Conflict with the provisions of an adopted state, regional, or local
habitat conservation plan.

An evaluation of whether an impact on biological resources would result in a “substantial
adverse effect” must consider both the resource itself and how that resource fits into a
regional context. For the Project, the regional setting includes the western portion of the
Antelope Valley, including the slopes of the surrounding mountains that face the Valley.
Impact analysis is based on the Project’s impact relative to the amount of the resource within
the Project region.

For purposes of the impact analysis, “substantial adverse effect” is defined as the loss or
harm of a magnitude which, based on current scientific data and knowledge, would
(1) substantially diminish population numbers of a species or distribution of a habitat type
within the region or (2) eliminate the functions and values of a biological resource in the
region.

5.7.6 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

The determination of direct impacts in this analysis is based on changes to the existing
biological resources on the Project site (as previously described in Section 5.7.3,
Environmental Setting) that would occur from Project implementation, which includes all
on-site and off-site earth disturbing/grading activities (including staging, trenching, and
equipment storage). Impacts on biological resources associated with the Project were
evaluated with respect to common vegetation types and common plant and wildlife species
and, in greater detail, special status biological resources.

Indirect impacts on biological resources as a result of Project implementation may include
the following: (1) increased lighting and glare effects on wildlife species in the remaining and
adjacent open space areas; (2) potential increase in use of pesticides, herbicides, and in
release of pollutants into adjacent drainages, creeks, and wetlands as a result of landscaping
maintenance, irrigation, and storm water runoff; (3) increase in non-native plant species
that are adapted to more urban environments and can out-compete native species for
available resources, thus reducing the distribution and population of native species;
(4) increases in human activity and domestic animal presence that can disturb natural
habitat areas by trampling and extirpating native vegetation and displacing wildlife
populations; and (5) erosion and dust resulting from construction and grading activities.

R:\Projects\PAS\CEN\000306\Draft EIR\5.7 Bio_051117.docx 5.7-141 Centennial Project
Draft EIR